Meles
Zenawi-Lifelong Fighter for Democracy and Justice!
By
FANOWEDY SAMARA (fanowedy@gmail.com)
August
20, 2014
Ethiopia,
the cradle of human being and the springboard for ancient civilizations, is
widely endowed with diverse historical, social, cultural, ecological, natural,
religious etc resources. The nation consists of more than 80 nations and
nationalities with their respective peculiar cultural, historical, linguistic,
religious and other features.
Unfortunately
all these nations, nationalities and peoples with their tremendous
peculiarities and identities were ignored for ages. They were mercilessly
oppressed and exploited for centuries. Ethiopians were deprived of their basic
human and democratic rights and freedoms. Consequently, they were forced to
live as secondary citizens in their own country. This was the very destiny of
the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia till the demise of the Military
Junta in 1991.
However,
the Ethiopian nations, nationalities and peoples never crippled their hands and
minds even for a single second. They, rather, unreservedly struggled against
the brutal regimes. The Bale, Gojjam and, Tigray farmers’ movements and the
student movement of the 1960s were among the notable features of these
struggles.
Unfortunately,
almost all the formers struggles ended up in to collapse and demise for they
were not well organized. Likewise, there was no strong public or political
organization that led the public in the struggle against the brutal regimes. It
was in February 1985 that some vanguard patriots under the Umbrella of the then
Tigray Freedom Fighters or TPLF today launched open armed struggle against the
Cannibal Dergue Regime. The very goal of this struggle was to dismantle the
dictator regime, replace it with popular democratic system and thereby
establish prosperous and democratic Ethiopia.
Thanks
to the unreserved and tireless struggles and remarkable sacrifice of the
nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia led by the EPRDF, they
dismantled the dictatorial regime of the Dergue.
The
EPRDF defeated the military rule neither because the EPRDF was equipped with
better military weapons nor even because it was highly advanced in military
science. The secret of the EPRDF was in its clear goals, readiness to wage
every possible sacrifice, unwavering stand on the issues of sovereignty of the public
and miraculous commitment and discipline of its leaders and members. For this
reason, EPRDF has been managed to mobilize the general public in every walks of
life to bring about lasting difference in the long journey towards our
Renaissance.
In
implementing EPRDF policies and strategies both during the armed struggle and after,
EPRDF leaders have been playing vital roles. These leaders have been
unreservedly paying prudent sacrifices for the betterment Ethiopians. Though
the EPRDF has lots of patriot leaders, the focus of this article goes to the
selfless and extraordinarily visionary leader-Meles Zenawi.
Since
his election as a member of the executive committee of the TPLF in 1979, Meles
Zenawi’s contribution for the advancement of the country is incalculable. “Since
his election to the executive committee during the first congress of the TPLF
held in 1979, and especially following his re-election in 1983 and subsequent
membership of the politburo, Meles made important and strategic contribution to
advance the armed struggle [against the dictatorial Dergue Regime]”
(Meles’s Portriat:Sketch of Who He is, P:03).
During
the armed struggle, Meles’s participation and contribution was prominent and
valuable. His objective situational analysis both national and international affairs
benefitted the EPRDF to defeat the Dergue. Moreover, his valuable arguments at
times of bad pitches saved the EPRDF from disintegration and fatal splits. It
is, hence, rational to call Meles as a real vaccine and proper remedy that
repeatedly saved the EPRDF from possible dead ends and thereby advance the
struggle against the brutal regime and latter the struggle against poverty and
backwardness.
As
an extraordinarily visionary change leader, Meles always focused on possibly
new but highest paradigms. He always targeted the maximum possible goals which
might be attainable through stretched efforts. New achievements were not
sources of his satisfaction and never gave him a relief. He rather, looked
forward to achieve the highest one. Thus, Meles unreservedly searched the ways
that drove the struggle from simple to complex and/or from lower to higher
stages. That was why he never sought a rest in his lifetime. When he was recomended
to have a rest even by medical doctors, his response was very short and precise.
He always said that how a leader of a poor country such as ours needs a rest!
He repeatedly stated that as the EPRDF soldier, he would contribute his maximum
efforts till he left with zero gram flesh! And he practically did it! He paid
prudent sacrifice till the last second of his life!
Meles
paid his life for democracy and justice. He set extraordinarily high goals in
the struggle against poverty and backwardness. To implement his bigger dreams-to
see a country where democratic rule, good governance and social justice
prevails up on free will and full involvement of the peoples, emancipating from
poverty and join a middle income status economy-Meles always set
bigger goals and objectives. “As a reflection of his ambition, Meles was not
satisfied with the pace of the progress made during the first two years of the
renewal period. He wanted an expansion of rural development efforts already
achieved; a rejuvenation of cities and towns; full rehabilitation of the ruling
party [the EPRDF]; and an encouragement of the Ethiopian youth to turn them in
to empowered agents of the fight against poverty” (Meles’s Portriat:Sketch of
Who He is, P:09).
Meles
sacrificed his life to ensure equality of the Ethiopian nations, nationalities
and peoples. Likewise his entire life was sacrifice to abolish every form of
inequality, be it gender, religion, linguistic, rural-urban etc. Let alone the
question of equality here in his Country, Meles also struggled for justice
across the globe. His struggle against the adverse effects of climate change is
an excellent example for this matter. Meles critically challenged advanced
nations for the fatal consequences of their rapid industrialization where
African, Asian, Latin American and Small Island nations have been suffering in
none of their faults. He unreservedly challenged them because their rapid
industrialization has been killing the economies of developing countries. That
is why in his address to the 12th heads of States and
Government Summit of the African Union held in Addis Ababa stated with great
regret that “Africa has contributed virtually nothing to the global warming but
is expected to be one of the primary victims of its consequences.”
TRUE,
Meles sacrificed his life not only for the betterment of Ethiopians and the
Ethiopian Renaissance but also for all disadvantaged countries and groups all
over the globe. That is why Ethiopia has been playing a vanguard role in the UN
and AU peace keeping and peace creation missions, particularly in Africa.
Meles’s role in stabilizing the African continent in general and the horn of
Africa in particular was repeatedly recognized and applauded by the
International Community.
Without the strong support of Ethiopia, under the leadership of
Meles Zenawi, the establishment of Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in
Somalia was unthinkable. Moreover, the TFG could never last long without the
extraordinary support of Ethiopians. And Meles strongly backed the efforts of
IGAD and the African Union in creating peace and tranquility in Somalia. Thus,
Meles waged his life to ensure peace and order in the African Continent.
Furthermore, Meles challenged the ineffectiveness of Neo-Liberal Political
Economy in Africa. Meles not only challenges Neo-Liberal Political Economy but
also forwarded a new approach to effectively address the African Dilemma. He
repeatedly claimed that Neo-Liberal Political Economy is practically an
instrument for rent seeking politics in Africa. Hence, he suggested that
African countries should search their own home grown policies and strategies
that spring from their objective problems. For Meles, African challenges must
be solved through African mechanisms, that is, there can never be one size fit
for kind of imported solution for every domestic problem. Therefore, Meles paid
his life in searching of best ways to transform the Africa continent as well.
By and large, Meles sacrificed his precious life for democracy and
justice by adamantly but wisely combating every actual and/or potential factor
of inequality and/or injustice. And for sure, we all Africans miss him for he
was our responsible spokesman who unreservedly and unwaveringly defended our
real interests in the international fora. That is why various leaders across
the globe shocked with the news of his death. And that is why African leaders
expressing their deepest condolence still now.
Meles accomplished his glorious tasks selflessly. What is remained,
I think, is maintaining and consolidating his visions that transcend both
generation and time. Hence, we need to contribute our maximum efforts to
realize the Ethiopian Renaissance in particular and the African Renaissance in
general.
REST IN PEACE
Meles Zenawi!!!